Her Legacy
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Sofia finds a shelved gift for Cedric when she's cleaning his workshop one afternoon, and after finding out that it is a gift from the twins' mother, she is curious to know more about the former queen.


Her Legacy

Summary: Sofia finds a shelved gift for Cedric when she's cleaning his workshop one afternoon, and after finding out that it is a gift from the twins' mother, she is curious to know more about the former queen.

Disclaimer: I don't own the show.

A/N: I gave a heads up in "What We Do Best" about this story. Yes, it's going to be a bit sadder than most of my other stories, so I just wanted to preface that. This time, you'll get to see different perspectives on the Queen. And for once, Sofia is at the headline instead of Cedric. See what happens. :)

*Story*

Wormwood sighed in exasperation. Sofia had been cleaning the workshop for the last half hour, and her humming was either really annoying or really catchy. He wasn't entirely sure at this point. " _Princess_ ," he drawled sarcastically as he tilted his head, "are you anywhere near being done?"

"Almost," she responded sweetly while dusting around the bookshelf. "Mr. Cedric will be back soon, so I want his workshop looking nice when he returns."

"Not like he would notice… If his nose isn't buried in a book or in an experiment, he's either sleeping or chomping down on some food."

She giggled. "Still, it wouldn't hurt to have a nice, clean environment to work in." She blinked as she came across something that seemed to be shimmering gold and purple. She'd never noticed it before in all the years that she'd been visiting her friend. "Hmm." Curiosity overtook her and she pulled out the item, realizing it appeared to be a journal of some sort. "Wormwood, what's this?"

The raven raised his wings as if shrugging. "In this workshop, who knows? I need to stretch my wings. I'll be back later." With that, he took off out the window.

Sofia nodded distractedly, though at that point it was sort of pointless. She traced her fingers over the amber gem embedded in the cover. Cedric's name was etched into the fabric, the maroon stitching standing out against the purple and gold. She looked at the side of the journal and realized it appeared to be locked. "Hmm."

Cedric walked in at that moment, shutting the door behind him. "Oh, my dear," he sighed in agitation. "You've no idea what exhaustion is until you've been chased by an irritated goose."

The princess laughed softly while attempting to push the book back into its place. "You're funny, Mr. Cedric."

"Indeed! I—what have you there?" He blinked upon realizing what his apprentice was attempting to return to its spot. "Oh, my… Where did you find that?" He reached out, taking the book from her.

"I—I didn't mean to find it, Mr. Cedric. I just saw the cover while I was cleaning and I thought it looked pretty. I didn't read it, I promise."

He nodded quietly. "It would be impossible, unless you had the key… I, um…" He clutched the book tightly as the girl gazed after him. "I'm sorry, Sofia. It's just, this is a rather special book."

She didn't want to pry. Obviously, it was much more than that. He hadn't had such a strong emotional attachment to anything that she'd seen…save perhaps his wand case. So instead, she just nodded in understanding.

"Well, I suppose it will be all right for you to know. The Queen actually gave this to me." Seeing the girl's confusion, he decided to clarify. "The twins' mother, that is." He sat down at his table as she did the same. He ran his fingers over the binding thoughtfully. "She was always quite thoughtful and kind. She tried to make sure things were going well for everyone." He offered her a small smile. "Sort of like you."

Sofia blushed modestly before smiling. "What happened to her?"

"She passed away many years ago, when the twins were still young. I'll…tell you more about it when you're older, but I just…" He sighed as he fiddled with the lock on the side. "Seeing this reminded me of all our good times together. Truth be told, she was about as close to a friend as I could have had before you came along."

The girl gasped softly. "Oh? Um…so, is it a journal she left you?"

"Something like that. She wrote memories we shared, encouraging words, and even some ideas for future spells and such. She was something else." Considering his explanation, he reached under his table and withdrew a small key. He unlocked the mechanism on the side of the book and opened it for the first time in years.

Sofia coughed and waved away the dust that poured out before glancing at its contents. There, on the first page, was something that looked exceptionally personal: a hand-written letter from the Queen to Cedric. She caught a few phrases such as "great sorcerer," "dear friend," and "my children" before he quickly turned the page. She didn't blame him. Something so personal should only be between the intended at the writer…so to speak. "Can you tell me about her?"

"Well, I suppose. Of course, the best way is through a story, I think."

She smiled excitedly. "I love stories."

"Oh, I know… Well, when the twins were turning two years old, their mother suggested something rather interesting…"

*Flashback*

"Oh, there you are, Cedric!" the Queen giggled excitedly as she quickly took his arm and led him toward the dining room. She'd fastened her flowing blonde hair into a half up style, held in place by a star-shaped barrette. Her golden dress caught the light and glimmered magnificently. She was always one for flair, though she still managed to be quite humble in comparison to most royals. "Come here; I want to get your perspective on the twins' cake."

"Cake?" Cedric asked. "Your Majesty, they are turning two… With all due respect, is cake really what you want to serve to the children at such a young age?" He grimaced. "Dear Merlin, they'll be more hyper than ever."

She laughed. "Not to worry. Roland's mother is coming to the party, and I've kindly requested that she be their guardian for the evening… Therefore, whatever hyperactivity they experience will be for her to handle." She snickered as the sorcerer gave her a surprised look.

"Admit it. You're a tiny bit evil."

"No more than you, my friend. Relax, I'm just kidding," she insisted when he made a face. She smiled as they entered the dining room, where a large green and gold colored cake stood stacked at the end of the table. "Well, what do you think?"

Cedric's eyes widened. "Whoa."

"I know… Wonderful, isn't it? Chef Andre really knows how to make a superb cake. Now, I'd considered inviting the other royals from other kingdoms for their birthday, but I've changed my mind."

"You have?" That was unusual. Generally, royals tended to network, even at parties, so her going against the grain was different…not at all strange for her, considering how well he knew her at this point, but different nonetheless. "Well, whom have you invited then?"

"Everyone already here, some of the villagers, and your parents and Baileywick's brother. They're all like family to us anyway." She giggled as he gaped at her.

"Your Majesty…what a kind gesture, but…"

"Nope, not another word," she insisted, playfully pressing a finger to his mouth to silence him. "I've made up my mind, and you won't change it. It's settled."

Cedric chuckled as the Queen lowered her hand. "No matter what anyone else thinks, I think it is safe to say that you are by far the best queen this kingdom has ever seen, or will ever see."

She beamed at his praise. "I appreciate that a lot, Cedric. And I will echo the sentiment: you're the greatest sorcerer this kingdom has ever seen or will ever see. Sure, Goodwyn was wonderful, but you have something different to offer: a new perspective. Whatever spells and ideas you come up with down the line will be wonderful—sensational even. I have no doubt."

He smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

*End flashback*

"So…she wanted to involve all different kinds of people, not just royals… I think I would have liked her," Sofia surmised with a giggle.

"Oh, I've no doubt you would have." He flipped through a few of the pages and stopped at one part before turning the book to face Sofia. "She wanted to leave a legacy of sorts, and be a positive impact on the kingdom and her children. While she didn't live long enough to see it, she did in fact make a difference."

Sofia read the passage quietly.

 _Is it selfish of me to want this kingdom to thrive even more after I'm gone, Cedric? I want my garden to flourish and attract others so they can see the beauty of nature. I want Roland to find love again and not spend his eternity mourning over me. I want my children to be happy and do well in their lives. I want all of our workers, especially Baileywick, to be content with themselves and realize how organized they keep us daily and greatly they're appreciated. I want_ _ **you**_ _to be appreciated—to find a friend who believes in you as much as I do. If that's selfish, then so be it. I want everything to be perfect for all of you._

The princess looked up at her friend.

"It's like she predicted our reality in a way," he murmured as he rested his head in his hand. "Because everything she wanted to happen has indeed happened. When we lost her, the entire kingdom felt it. It was like an emptiness or hollowness nothing could fill—a void in our homeland. To be completely honest, I didn't really feel at ease or whole again for many years…until some precocious and inquisitive little princess came knocking on my door on more than one occasion." He offered her a smile, which she happily returned.

"Mr. Cedric…"

"Well," he began with a clearing of his throat as he shut the journal and locked it back before replacing his key, "I think that's enough seriousness for a while…in regards to her anyway. What do you say to a trip to Mystic Meadows? My mother has been gushing over a new fly treat recipe she received from one of her neighbors, and she has been anxious for someone to try it out."

The girl laughed. "Sure." Sofia tilted her head curiously while looking at the journal that Cedric was shelving once again before asking, "Mr. Cedric? There's something I'm still wondering after your stories…"

"Hmm?" He turned toward his friend.

"What was her name?"

Cedric smiled.

The end


End file.
